( 268 ) 

 THE FISH-CROW. 



CORVUS OSSIFKAGUS, WiLS. 

 PLATE CXLVI. Male and Female. 



This may be said to be the only species of Black Bird found in the 

 United States, that is not constantly subjected to persecution. You 

 would suppose it fully aware of its privileges, were you to witness the 

 liveliness of its motions, and to listen to its continued chatter. While 

 the Raven and the Common Crow are ever on the watch to escape the 

 effects of the enmity which man harbours towards them, the Fish-Crow 

 pays little attention to him as he approaches^ and even enters his garden 

 to feed on his best fruits. Hundreds are seen to alight on the trees near 

 the towns and cities placed along our southern shores ; many fly over or 

 walk about the pools and rivers, and all pursue their avocations without 

 apprehension of danger from the lords of the land. This sense of secu- 

 rity arises entirely from the circumstance that man generally believes the 

 bird to be perfectly inoffensive, and glad am I, reader, that it at least 

 bears so good a character. 



The Fish-Crow is almost entirely confined to the maritime districts 

 of the Southern States, and there it abounds at all seasons. Those Avhich 

 migrate proceed to the eastward about the beginning of April, and some 

 go as far as New York, where they are, however, rather rare. They as- 

 cend the Delaware River in Pennsylvania, nearly up to its source, and 

 some breed in the State of Jersey every year ; but all return to the 

 south at the approach of cold weather. Some go up the Mississippi for 

 four or five hundred miles, but I have not seen any higher on that stream, 

 which they generally leave to return to the vicinity of the sea-shore, in 

 the winter season. In East Florida, where they abound, I found them 

 breeding in February, in South Carolina about the 20th of March, and 

 in New .Jersey a month later. 



While on the St John's River in Florida, during the month of Feb- 

 ruary, I saw flocks of Fish-Crows, consisting of several hundred indivi- 

 duals, sailing high in the air, somewhat in the manner of the Raven, 

 when the whole appeared paired, for I could see that, although in such 

 numbers, each pair moved distinctly apart. These aerial excursions would 



